Curiosity Killed The Star
by SMSmithy
Summary: She noticed the change in him, and it made her curious. So curious, in fact, that she was willing to give up everything to know what caused this change, including even her popularity . . . maybe.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom. Butch Hartman does.**

* * *

She knew that something was going on with those three. Everyone had noticed a small change, but she was the only one that was genuinely curious.

It all started at the beginning of the year. Those three were always considered the 'losers' or the 'freaks'. But after a certain accident that one of them had, they became even . . . weirder, to say the least.

But it was the Fenton kid that had changed the most. Yeah, sure, the Goth girl and the Tech freak became even more protective of their best friend yet they hadn't changed much from their usual freaky selves. It's just that Fenton had become twitchy; he was always on the lookout for something and almost never took a break from being alert although he looked like he could fall asleep at any moment.

He was considered timid and weak; a wimpy nerd who couldn't protect himself and ran from any sign of danger. Heck, he couldn't even protect himself from the school bully.

But as the year went on, even she noticed the difference. His eyes seemed to be the biggest change, in her own opinion. They were the most brilliant shade of blue, although she'd never admit that to anyone.

Those fascinating eyes matured in a way that she thought wasn't capable. In fact, they looked almost too mature for someone their age. He looked wise too, as if he suddenly understood the world in a way nobody else did. An almost haunted look accompanied the knowledge and maturity within those blue pools though.

It was obvious to her that he was scared.

_'Scared of what though?'_

His eyes weren't the most obvious change though; his body had too. She noticed how he always tried to hide his body, usually under baggy clothes and long sleeved jumpers. You could still notice the difference though, if you really knew what to look for.

His posture made people think that he was weak and wimpy. But she knew that he was, in reality, a person that was well-built. She could sometimes see his muscles rippling under his clothing. She was certain that if he fought back against the school bully that he would win, hands down.

That thought almost scared her slightly. The dominant emotion though was curiousity.

_'How did he get those muscles?'_

Due to this curiosity, she decided that she would spy on Fenton. Not stalk - no, no, and no - but spy, just to see what he did and how he had changed.

Which is why she was following him now, as he walked back home alone.

* * *

**Oh hey look, I uploaded something!**

**That's new.**

**Eh, this is going to be a multi-chapter story, so expect more soon!**

**Until then, you'll just have to wait.**

**Bye!**

**. . .**

**The chapters will be much longer than this, I promise.**

**This is just a prologue, I guess.**


	2. Stalker

**Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom. My good fellow Butch Hartman does.**

* * *

'_This is stupid,_' Star reprimanded herself, as she, once again, dived into an alley to hide from Fenton as he turned around, '_I'm going to get myself caught at this rate!_'

When she didn't hear any footsteps coming her way, she peeked around the building she was hiding behind. Fenton was walking home again, which was at least another block away. Rather than following him for now, she just watched him.

He seemed okay; considering how he was usually late to class with an injury of some sort. She wondered how he got those injuries. He didn't exactly seem liked the sort of person that would go and make trouble somewhere, just for the fun of it.

No, he was too much of a goody-goody to do anything even remotely bad. He may prank somebody for a laugh, but he'd never willingly hurt someone . . . _would he?_

Star stopped her thoughts as she saw Fenton gasp and stop walking. He looked around, instantly alert compared to his relaxed expression earlier on.

He glanced up at the sky, and Star couldn't help but follow his gaze. A ghost flew past; she had hair that looked like it was made of fire, she was carrying what looked like a guitar and was also wearing make-up that so totally didn't go with her skin.

"Ember!" a masculine voice yelled. The ghost stopped and turned around.

"Hey, dipstick! Long time, no see!" The ghost, Ember, sneered, eyes narrowing slightly as she realised who it was that had called her.

Star's breath left her body as she also caught sight of Danny Phantom - declared 'Public Enemy Number One' by some, yet a hero by others - as he flew towards Ember.

She could see his emblem on his jumpsuit, and almost swooned when she saw his muscles. Star was also a major fan of Danny Phantom, but not as much as other girls, like Paulina. Star herself hadn't actually been rescued by him, yet she wished that she could be saved by him.

Remembering her trip of following Fenton, she brought her gaze back to the ground and almost screamed in frustration as she realised that he had evaded her.

'_Brilliant! I'll have to find out some other day!_' The sound of a body hitting the pavement near her made her jump out of her thoughts. She glanced down, and found Danny Phantom there looking a bit more than dazed.

He rubbed his head and quickly stood up. Phantom turned towards her in surprise, finally noticing her there.

"Are you alright?" He asked. Star's head began to swirl.

'_He spoke to me!_' Realising she hadn't said her answer, she quickly stuttered out, "U-uh yeah! But what a-about you?"

He nodded, and answered back in his ghostly voice, "I'll be fine! Quickly, run away from here!" before flying off to fight Ember again. Star's legs felt like jelly as she began to run in the opposite direction from the battle. She ran a block or so, before daring to look behind her. The battle had already ended. She saw Ember being sucked into a . . . thermos? Not exactly the item she would have thought to be used as a ghost weapon, but if it caught the ghost, then it caught the ghost, and that was good enough for her.

She slowed down to a stop, and tried to catch her breath. She felt elated at the fact that _the_ Danny Phantom had spoken to her! But she was caught a little off-guard, as his voice had sounded very familiar. Even with the echo behind his voice, she knew it was familiar to her. But she couldn't think of who it belonged to.

Turning around and walking again, she bumped into someone. With an 'oomph!' she fell onto the ground.

"I'm sorry!" She shook her head and looked at who it was that knocked her on the ground . . .

. . . and found herself staring into bright, icy blue eyes.

"Fenton?" She asked wearily.

"I-I'm sorry!" He stuttered out again, before helping her stand up, "I wasn't looking where I was going! I didn't mean to knock you over! It was an accident!" To her, he almost sounded . . . afraid? But mostly tired.

She decided to look at him, and gasped as she saw the wound on his head, bleeding openly. He noticed her gasp right away, and turned his head away from her, so that she could no longer see it bleed.

"Are you okay? D-Did I hurt you anywhere?" He asked, keeping his gaze away from hers. It was almost as if he thought that he was below her on a hierarchy scale.

"I'm perfectly fine! But are you okay? Your head's bleeding!" Star almost screeched out. Danny winced.

"No, it's not!"

"Don't lie to me, Fenton!"

"Really, it's fine! I tripped on the way here, and smacked my head against a wall! Silly, clumsy, stupid Fenton, as always! Glad to know you're okay! Gotta go now! Bye!" He quickly laughed an empty laugh, before trying to walk past Star.

"Wait! At least let me help seal it up or something!" That stopped Fenton in his tracks. He glanced over his shoulder at Star.

"Excuse me?" Star rolled her eyes, before grabbing a hold of Fenton's wrist and dragged him to his house.

"Look, I know how to seal up a cut like that. I can't exactly just let it bleed. Nerd or not, if someone is hurt, I take responsibility for it!" Star said proudly. Danny muttered something in reply, before looking down at the floor, averting his gaze from everywhere.

"What was that?"

"Huh? Oh nothing . . . I can walk on my own, you know that, right?"

"Yeah, I know that. Doesn't mean that I will allow it. You may have a concussion."

"Believe me, I don't. Oh look, here's my house. We've arrived. My cut is already healing. You may go now, bye-bye!" Danny quickly said, before pulling his hand free from Star's grasp, and running in to his house. Star stood there, baffled.

_'That's the second time he's done that.'_

* * *

Star wasn't surprised to see that Fenton was late to his Literature class, once again.

"Mr. Fenton, please do explain as to why you are late for the fifth time this week to my class."

"Sorry Mr. Lancer, but I woke up late. Sorry."

"Tardiness, again, huh? Alright, detention after school for the next week." Danny nodded, accepting the punishment. Considering the amount of times he's had a punishment like this, Star wondered why he never sorted himself out. Even his excuses were beginning to sound lame now. All of this just made Star even more curious.

'_What could possibly made one person so late, time and time again?_' As Danny started to walk to his desk - next to Star's, of course - Star had to hold in her gasp.

The cut on his head was gone.

'_How could it possibly heal that quickly?! I know for a fact that it was a deep wound, considering how much it was bleeding! There's no hint of it ever being there!_' Star pondered on this thought for a while, completely missing Lancer's lecture on tardiness and alarm clocks.

_'I'll have to ask him soon.'_

* * *

**Aah! Four reviews already?! Thank you so much!**

**I never imagined that my story would actually get some feedback!**

**Eeeeh! This has made me so happy! You have no idea!  
**

**Unfortunately, I have a few very important exams coming up for the next week or so (stupid science), so I won't be able to update that often. Although, I am nearing the end of my year, and soon it'll be the holidays! For six weeks!**

**You may have to wait a while. Sorry!**

**Asquerade: thank you so much! I hope it's an enjoyable read to everyone. It's all I want to do; please as many people as possible! It's not possible to please everybody though, ah well!**

**austin52896: thank you! I'll try. It's a good thing that the previous chapter was just a prologue, and this one doesn't have much action or detail, so it's not as long as I hoped it would have been. Don't worry though, I'll see if I can make them longer.**

**Sleepy-Crobat: ah, I understand what you mean! I've read the majority of the Danny/Star fics on this website already! If you have any good ones you'd like to point out to me, I'd be happy to read them (if I haven't already, of course)! Anyway thank you!**

**biginferno: glad to see another person enjoying this story already! I'm a massive fan of Danny/Star, although it's a shame there aren't many out there. Thank you, and you're welcome.**

**Until next time!**


	3. Question

**Disclaimer: Once again, I do not own Danny Phantom. If I did, it'd still be ongoing, but it wouldn't nearly have been as good as it was/is.**

* * *

"What do you mean someone was following you?" Sam asked, worried. Danny shrugged his shoulders.

"Exactly that. I couldn't tell who it was though. All I know is that they have blonde hair," He replied, taking a small bite out of his sandwich. He didn't have much of an appetite, especially after yesterday. He would have tried to figure out who was following, but unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately . . .) Ember had shown up. That was his perfect excuse to quickly disappear.

After all, who doesn't run from ghosts?

"That doesn't help us at all! There are plenty of blonde people in our school."

"What makes you think my _'stalker'_, so to speak, was from Casper High?" Sam just gave Danny a look that said _'are-you-kidding-me?'_

"I don't know, dude. It's just that people are starting to get suspicious of what we do, and why you always disappear during class," Tucker added, "We may be at the bottom of the social ladder, but any sort of gossip is good for anyone."

Danny sighed, "I guess you're right. I'll try to be a bit more careful from now on. No promises, though." He took another bite of his sandwich, avoiding eye contact with his best friends. Sam narrowed her eyes at him.

"There's something else, isn't there?" She questioned. Danny almost spat his food.

"What? No! No, of course not! Why would there be anything . . . else . . . yeah, you're right." Sam and Tucker looked at him, silently asking him to continue.

"Star bumped in to me after the fight," He began quietly.

"So?"

"Ember had managed to wound me. It hadn't healed by the time I ran in to her, literally," He chuckled at that, before continuing, "She offered to help tend to it, or something. Eh, I guess you could say I panicked about that. I was still slightly shaken after the fight with Ember, so I was just more alert yet jumpy at the same time. I managed to get away from her, but at school in Lancer's class, she was looking at me kind of weirdly. It had healed of course, as they usually do. But it was a deep cut; it shouldn't have healed that quickly for a normal human."

"So, you're saying that she may be on to your secret?" Tucker asked. Danny nodded his head.

"Hold up a second! Still shaken up from the fight with Ember? What happened?" Curiosity glinted in Sam's eyes. Was that concern too?

"She didn't just want a fight; she brought a message. I have to go see Frostbite for some urgent news, or something," Danny answered, chucking away the rest of his sandwich. Anxiety was gnawing at his stomach anyway, causing him to feel slightly nauseous.

"If it's from Frostbite, then it is some serious news. When do you have to see him?"

"Soon. Preferably before tomorrow, by the sounds of it. And before you ask, no you can't go. Frostbite only wanted me there." He then stood up and started to walk to his next class before his friends could say anything else.

* * *

_'What were they talking about over there?'_ was all Star could think about. The losers were being secretive again, but she could see the concern on the Goth girl and the Tech freak's faces. It almost looked like Fenton was telling them some news of some sort.

Her thoughts were interrupted however, by a whiny voice.

"I can't believe she didn't buy me that dress! It was the perfect shade of pink, and would've totally gone perfectly well with my make-up! Ugh, she's just so stubborn! Do you understand what I mean, Star?" Paulina complained.

Preparing herself for what she had to say, she replied, "Oh my gosh, like, totally! I saw this baby blue skirt that would've been perfect for any day out. But noooo, I wasn't allowed it! Why do parents have to be so unfair? We're rich; we can afford anything!"

"Baby blue? Ugh, no way! Baby blue is so not your colour. I would think more of a dark green. It'd be perfect with your pale skin! Which reminds me, you really need to get a tan. Any sort of tan is all the rage now. You wouldn't want to be as pale as that Fenton kid over there, would you?" Star hesitated for a moment. She really liked that blue skirt, yet she didn't really like dark green. Plus, what was wrong with Fenton's pale skin?

"Of course! You're so right! Perhaps dark green is my colour! Why hadn't I thought of that?" She laughed, albeit fakely. Star didn't like the way Paulina talked about Fenton. He hadn't seemed like such a bad person when they collided the other day. He sounded generally concerned about her too, rather than his own bleeding head. Her thoughts were, once again, rudely broken, as Paulina answered her supposed rhetorical question.

"That's because your fashion sense isn't of an expert quality, like mine is. Hey, while we're on this subject, want to go to the mall tomorrow? I've noticed that Danny Phantom usually appears there. I know that if he saw me there he'd ask me out! I can only imagine this now!" Paulina swooned, ignoring Star's look of disdain towards her arrogance.

"Sure, I'd love to go. I'll see you there at noon. But I have to go now. Class is about to start. See you later!" Star waved at her friend, knowing Paulina missed it. Ah well, at least she was away from her.

To tell the truth, she was actually excited about her next class. She didn't exactly like Chemistry, but Fenton was in her class, and last lesson they were forced to pair together. Without his best friends there, perhaps she'd get a chance to talk to him, and know him more, without people actually thinking she was trying to be his friend.

Hopefully without becoming his friend in the first place, of course.

* * *

"So, what's your favourite colour?"

"E-Excuse me?" Danny stuttered, almost dropping the beaker he was holding. He fumbled with it for a moment, before setting it down and looking at Star.

"I asked you a question. What is your favourite colour?" Star replied, a little surprised that she made Fenton jump. Perhaps, she caught him off-guard? One moment, they were talking about the temperature of the oil they were going to use for the experiment, and the next, she popped him an unexpected question.

Judging by how pale he was, yep, she caught him off-guard.

"Uhh, I suppose . . . red? I've never really given this much thought. After all, colours are just colours." Hmm, that sounded almost cryptic in a way. She'll give this some thought later on. Right now though, she needed more answers to her random questions.

"What are your thoughts on the Goth girl and the Tech freak?" This should be a good one.

"Why do you want to know?"

"Is there something wrong with me asking you questions, Fenton?" She snapped back.

"N-No, not at all! Just a little surprising, that's all."

"Then answer the question."

"Well . . . they've always been there for me. No matter what struggles I've been through, they just know how to help me. If it wasn't for them, I'd probably be . . . depressed right now. Perhaps even sui- uh, oh, never mind about that. I'm just very grateful that they do everything they can for me. I'm not exactly the best person to be around, for multiple reasons. I'm surprised they've put up with me. They're really great friends," Danny finished his little speech with such tenderness to his voice, that it made Star feel a little . . . upset, in a way.

She didn't have friends like that, now that she thought about it. Sure, she was in the A-List, but did Paulina, Dash and Kwan actually listen to her? Did they help her through her struggles? Would they save her from depression, or something similar?

No, probably not.

She focused her gaze on to the beaker of oil. She couldn't look at Fent- no, Danny. To her surprise, he spoke up.

"Any other questions?" The warm tone was gone. She glanced back at him, although a bit reluctantly.

Slowly, she spoke, "I had a few, but after that answer, I don't think it's a good idea to ask them. However, I do have just one more." He raised an eyebrow at this.

"Do you think . . . that it's possible . . ." She paused, biting her lip.

"Go on."

". . . That I could be your friend too?"

* * *

**And bam, we are done for this chapter! Sorry it took a while to get out, but I have been busy. I really do dislike exams. They're important however, so I'm trying my best.**

**Gah, at first it was four reviews. Then I come back and _bam!_ Twenty one! Why is this making me so happy!? Aaaaah!**

**shin obin: I shall! I dislike stories that haven't been updated in years, yet they're not complete. I hope to not do that.**

**Sonochu: thank you! I understand what you mean about being a Danny/Sam fan, I used to be one. I prefer Danny/Star though, yet I still enjoy a good Danny/Sam read. I'm pretty neutral towards pairings that I do not favour. Fan of all pairings woo!**

**1eragon33: ah, thank you! Yeah, I always imagined her smarter too. Especially smarter than Paulina.**

**Son of Zeus0001: thank you! And wait no longer, the next chapter is here!**

**Beefdagetti: thanks! And so do I! Every character needs emotion, even if they're emotionless! . . . Did that make sense, at all?**

**Sleepy-Crobat: aha, thank you! I try to update as quickly as possible, so that everyone can be satisfied. I actually hope to make a weekly schedule of when I update; it might be easier that way.**

**Ghostfudge160: thank you so much! I enjoy those type of stories too. Seriously, Star needs more of the spotlight.**

**biginferno: thank you! Here's the next chapter, hope you enjoy this one too!**

**Pop'n'Dazzle: ah, thank you. No, she does not. She needs to steal it once in a while though, aha. Mm, I also love the confusion. I may portray her as smart, but Danny keeps his secret hidden well. I kind of want to drag this out as much as possible, so that it doesn't end to quickly.**

**Inviso-Al: she'll eventually figure out Danny's secret . . . maybe. But it won't be any time soon. I almost can't believe it either! But I don't want her to be as arrogant and snobby as Paulina. I see her as being partially nice to the 'losers' when the A-List are not around.**

**SmartyMcSmartle: yeah, I don't want Star to be as mean as Paulina. Paulina's too stuck-up, and while Star isn't the best character, she's a lot better than Paulina. But anyway, thank you!**

**Werido: I'm glad it's interesting so far. Hopefully this chapter is just as good.**

**Zkv2000: ah, thank you! And no, shh, my writing is not epic! It's that of a novice!**

**Fan: I'll try not to. In fact, here's the next chapter!**

**Guest: hey, even background characters need attention. I just happen to like the general idea of Star, and I feel like she may have been quite a good character, despite being quite mean to Tucker to begin with. I seem to portray her as a very stubborn yet kind-in-a-bit-of-a-weird-way person. She'll be nice when she chooses to be, but if you get on her bad side, you're on her bad side.**

**Until next time!**


	4. Headache

**I'm adding a disclaimer every chapter, 'cause why the heck not?**

**Disclaimer: Butch Hartman owns Danny Phantom. Not me. Which is a damn shame.**

* * *

Danny sat hunched over his desk in his room, trying to complete his Maths homework that was due for tomorrow. He chewed the end of his pencil as he racked his brain for the answers.

Although, working out the answers seemed almost impossible right then. His mind was trying to figure out the answer to another problem; one that wasn't Maths related at all.

The problem was - of course - the question that Star had asked him earlier that day. It really threw him around, as the more he thought about it, the more he was confused.

Honestly, it couldn't have been that confusing. It was after all, a simple question.

_'Do you think that it's possible that I could be your friend too?'_ An easy answer for an easy question, right?

Wrong. You can't just be friends with someone just because of a simple question; people have to build that friendship. In fact, Danny had told Star this after a good couple of minutes of shocked silence.

Although, his answer seemed to have affected Star in a way he didn't think it would have done. Star seemed incredibly disheartened. Yet that hopeless look in her eyes was replaced with determination almost instantly and her reply was, _'So let's build that friendship!'_

That also shocked Danny. Luckily, the school day had ended just then. Danny had no reply to what she said. So, as soon as she said it and the lesson had finished, he packed his bag as quickly as possible and ran out of school all the way home. He didn't even wait for Tucker and Sam like he usually does.

They must have been worried about him, as they rang his phone multiple times. It hadn't helped the fact that he didn't answer until he had arrived at home.

Of course. He had completely forgotten that they were going to the Nasty Burger after school. Oh well. He replied to them that he wouldn't be going anyway; after all, he had to talk to Frostbite sometime today. But first, he had to complete his homework. His just-about-passing-grades needed to rise somewhat, if he had hopes of actually properly passing school.

Ah, school.

So, here he was, trying to figure out multiple problems at the same time. Would Star try to hang out with him tomorrow? What about her position on the A-List? Danny knew she cared about that. Anybody on the A-List cared about their position on the social ladder. But one main question popped out at him the most.

How would Sam and Tucker react?

Of course, Tucker would be cool with it. Heck, Tucker used to like Star. Although...he had discovered a while later on that she was shallow. Hmm, maybe Tucker wouldn't agree with it. While Danny and Tucker may be the best of friends, they did always have a disagreement on something.

Despite all that, Tucker wouldn't actually fight against Danny (or Star for that matter) on his decision.

Sam, however, was a different story. She'd verbally - and maybe physically too - fight against this. Sam would go off on a strop about how Star would be using Danny and yadda yadda yadda.

But Danny didn't care about that. He knew that Star wouldn't use him. He saw the sincerity in her eyes as she spoke about being his friend. Did she honestly have no one else? Wasn't she friends with the A-List?

Eh, too many confusing thoughts. Danny sighed, and tried to concentrate on his homework.

* * *

"Oooh, this pink bracelet would so go with my make-up! Don't you think so, Star?" Paulina squealed. Star had drowned her out of her thoughts at this point. It was best to just smile and nod with whatever Paulina said anyway. They had gone to the mall, as promised, but instead of going tomorrow, they decided to go straight after school.

It was a relatively sunny day, and there was nothing else to do. But despite the sun shining brightly, Star felt rather gloomy.

After asking Danny that question, and then stating that they could build up a friendship, he had ran out of the room without so much as a 'yes' or 'no' to her. In a way, it left her angry.

Is an answer seriously too much to ask? Apparently yes.

Star sighed quietly to herself, so as to not alert Paulina that she wasn't really listening to her ranting about the prices being far too expensive on such ugly pink dress she saw. Ugh, pink.

_'Maybe that's something I have in common with Sam. We both hate pink,'_ Star giggled. She had been worried about being Danny's friend, to be honest. Being Danny's friend meant being Sam and Tucker's friends too, otherwise they'd never accept her.

She had been trying to understand what they were like, and how they behaved, so that she may be able to connect with them somehow. Connecting with someone is what Star knew best. Aside from caring after a sick person, of course.

There wasn't much in common. Star and Tucker were relatively smart, yet they didn't really like the same subjects. Tucker was all about technology, while Star was all about Maths. Plus she had treated Tucker badly in the past; she felt incredibly guilty about that. She hoped to make it up to him, in some way. Perhaps a new piece of advanced technology?

Sam was a difficult person. They both hated pink. Sam hated bright, happy colours. Star hated dark, gloomy colours. They were practically opposites. Although, they didn't eat meat. Okay, on occasion Star did eat meat, but nothing too serious. She didn't want to gain too much weight! So, that's two things they have in common, but nothing else.

There's also the fact that all three of them held a huge secret. Nobody else in the school knew what it was. Everybody was curious about it, but they wanted to keep their social status, so nobody bothered to find out.

Star wanted to know. And the only way to know was to become friends with them. But she didn't want the friendship just because of the secret. She wanted genuine friends.

As she thought this, she turned to Paulina (who was still ranting/complaining/whining) and said, "Sorry Paulina, but I have to go! Mum wants me for something back home. And yes, the pink dress suits you. Is it for the upcoming dance later on this year? Ah, never mind. Explain it to me later. See you tomorrow!"

She swiftly turned around, and nearly ran home, leaving Paulina standing there a little stunned.

* * *

Danny was confused. There had been a great shortage of ghosts for the past week which he was grateful for somewhat. It did worry him though. Were they planning for a bigger attack?

_'Brilliant, more questions.'_

However, there definitely were ghosts still in the Ghost Zone. He had been flying towards Frostbite's lair, and had encountered with the Box Ghost a few times. He also saw Dora, who looked happy to see him.

Yet when he met Johnny 13 and Kitty just a few minutes ago, their reactions had baffled him.

They were just driving along, when they suddenly spotted Danny floating there. Almost immediately, Kitty screamed at Johnny to drive as fast as he could, while she looked fearfully up at him. Johnny more than happily complied. He hadn't even sent Shadow to go after him.

Now that was new.

To say the least, Danny was worried. It also caused him to have a mild headache as more questions popped into his mind.

Sighing angrily, Danny finally arrived at Frostbite's lair. He walked up to Frostbite's cave, and slowly walked in. He didn't want to scare Frostbite, nor cause any trouble.

Stepping quietly, he whispered Frostbite's name. Did he hear?

"Ah, the Great One! It is good to see you here! So Ember did send you the message?"

He jumped, as a gruffly yet polite voice spoke out from the shadows. Calming down his heart, he replied, "Yes, she did. But I'm still confused as to why I'm needed?"

"It is not the matter of fact that you are needed, but more that we are needed."

"Eh... Why are you needed?" And now Danny was completely puzzled. They were needed for what?

"To train you, of course!" was Frostbite's reply. Training?

"Train me...for what?"

"To control your powers. They are continuously expanding at a tremendous rate, so much so that any later than next week, you'd be having problems controlling them. I am taking you under my arm again, and training you to control all of your powers; not just your ice powers, mind you." Danny stood there, slightly shocked. His headache came back full force, as even more questions and puzzles sprang forth. Brilliant. At this rate, he'd be getting a migraine.

Nodding slowly so as to not aggravate his brain, he said, "So...when do we start?"

* * *

**Sorry for the late update. It was my birthday on Wednesday (Fifteen now, wooooooooo!) and those exams really took a lot of energy out of me. I need to sleep.**

**So, I received some of my grades from those exams last week! For both of my Maths exams, I got a B! I'm not very good at Maths, so I'm very pleased at this. And for my Speaking And Listening Exam, I got an A/A*. The final grade hasn't been submitted yet, but it's definitely one of the two.**

**Now all I need is my two Science exam results. Those were real exams, and I need to get a passing grade on them. If I don't... Yeah, I won't be very happy.**

**But, besides all this, I managed to power through and write out this chapter. Hope it pleases you guys! That's all I'd like to do! And of course, write out my feelings, but blah.**

**Beefdagetti: aha, thanks a lot! Hope this chapter is just as fantastic!**

**1eragon33: yeah, I also think that Star's prettier than Paulina. Eh, for me Star and Sam have roughly the same beauty. But then again, I am comparing a cartoon character to another. Pfft, all a matter of opinion. I'm not very knowledgeable on the Greek Gods and Goddesses since they don't teach it at my school (which is a damn shame, as I'd love to learn about them). I shall look them up however, and then I shall understand what you are saying completely! Thank you, regardless.**

**acosta perez jose ramiro: thank you! I try to keep them in character as much as possible, but I can't always catch them. Such a bad fault of mine. Well, I hope this chapter explains it somewhat. Ember wants to test out his powers, but if Frostbite needs her to send an urgent message to Danny...well...there we go.**

**Pop'n'Dazzle: thank you! It'd be nice if this chapter is just as fantastic. I would explain why I think he would be depressed or even suicidal, but I'd like Danny to explain that in the story to Star one day. It's much easier to include it in the story anyway. But you managed to come up with a plausible explanation for the depression; separate people, separate treatment.**

**biginferno: thank you! Aha, the evil cliffhangers. I enjoy them, despite wanting to read more. That's the whole point of them, hah! Also, here's the answer to her question...somewhat.**

**Sleepy-Crobat: always love a bit of fluff! Seriously, fluff is the best. I'm not a huge romantic, and hate the sickly sweet scenes, but the fluff! Fluffy scenes always have me gushing about the characters relationship! That aside, thank you!**

**Werido: thank you! Here's the next chapter!**

**Inviso-Al: thank you! Ooooooh, finding out his secret... I can't quite think of a way to do it, without making it so ridiculously cheesy. 'Oh, Danny you saved me!' *Kissu kissu* Seriously, no way.**

**PigsThatFlyRCool: oooh, a new reviewer! Thank you! I also imagined those two as being a bit more 'human' than the other A-Listers. Come on, they are practically in the shadows of Dash and Paulina. I feel sorry for them. Plus, when Kwan is replaced with Danny, he did act friendly with the losers, despite taunting them at times. And I hope to drag this out as much as possible. I prefer the stories where they steadily build their relationships; not the sudden 'I've loved you since forever!' and then they start dating. No! Where's the friendship, the comfort between the two? Where's the build-up? You need these to make the actual relationship slightly more realistic. I've gone on a bit of a rant for too long, aha. But yeah, thank you, all the same!**

**Zkv2000: thank you! The story's original? Heck yes! I was hoping for something like that! And I'm glad you love the characters! I go to a school where there are so many girls that worry too much about their make-up and clothes. Seriously, clothes are clothes. Just wear them. Who cares if they clash? CLOTHES ARE CLOTHES. And I don't wear make-up. Dislike that stuff, yueck. Aha, I won't doubt my 'epicness' anymore. Not with that warning just hanging there!**

**shadowmaster0304: a new reviewer! Nice to see that! Thank you! Sorry if the update's a tad late. Busy life, after all. And no job yet!**


	5. Friendship

**Another chapter, guys! Longer too!**

**Disclaimer: Butch Hartman owns Danny Phantom. If I did, it wouldn't nearly be as cool.**

* * *

"Man, am I tired," Danny said, as he walked to school with his two best friends. They both glanced at him out of the corner of their eyes.

"You know, perhaps you should let us help you fight ghosts, once in a while. We're not exactly defenceless and you can't fight all of them at the same time," Sam suggested, although she wasn't sure fighting ghosts was the reason as to why Danny was exhausted.

After all, they hadn't seen a ghost - _the Box Ghost does not count!_ - for almost a week now. That was bad news.

"You help anyway, plus it isn't fighting ghosts that's making me this tired. I spoke to Frostbite yesterday." As if he didn't want to continue talking about it, he started walking quicker. The other two quickly jogged to catch up with him.

"Well, how'd the talk go?" Tusker asked.

"Huh? Oh, umm... It was alright, I guess. He just, uh...wanted me for a check-up, ya know, to see if my ice powers were still in check," Danny replied, as he stretched his arms up. He heard a pop, indicating the ache would soon be gone. He sagged in relief.

"Still in check? Danny, you've had those powers for over three months now; you can control them perfectly fine," Sam mentioned.

"Well, you know Frostbite! Nothing too bad anyway." The conversation ended there. Sam and Tucker sighed in exasperation, still following after Danny somewhat. If he wouldn't tell them then, he'd tell them later; he always did.

As they were strolling towards the school which was now in view, they almost stopped as Star was heading towards them, with a smile on her face.

"Hey, Danny!" At this, Tucker and Sam's chins promptly collided with the floor, "Did you manage to finish your part of the notes for Chemistry?"

Danny smiled back at her, before replying, "Yep, managed to, although barely. I hope it'll be enough."

"I'm sure it'll be fine! You're definitely not the dumbest person in this school," Under her breath, Star quickly mumbled, "Paulina is." Danny heard her though, so he gave a quick chuckle, then turned towards Sam and Tucker. They were still standing there, shocked.

Sam was the quickest to get out of her dazed state, and exclaimed, "What the hell is she here talking to you for?! I thought she hated us, more specifically you!"

A little surprised, Star asked, "I'm guessing you didn't tell them?" Danny reluctantly shook his head, and tried to calm Sam down.

"I-I'm sorry, but I'll explain all of this later! Right now though, I don't want to be late for first period for once! I promise to clarify all of this for you at break." Sam grudgingly accepted the short apology, before she snapped Tucker out of his reverie, then headed inside.

Danny bit his lip; an angry Sam was a difficult-to-listen Sam. You had to be careful around her at that time, and explain everything in complete detail to get her to understand anything. Brilliant.

He swivelled around to face Star, nodded his head towards the school, then began to walk. Star followed him, albeit at a slower pace.

She knew that Sam and Tucker would be the difficult part to the friendship she hoped to build with Danny; she only wished that they would accept her sincere apologies enough to also become good friends with her.

Ah, but that is merely wishing; she'd have to make that happen herself. It's not as if someone could actually grant her wishes!

"Eh, I really do hope my notes are satisfactory," Danny's voice snapped Star out of her thoughts.

She sarcastically countered back, "Satisfactory? Who knew you knew that word?" Danny looked at her before laughing.

"Oh, now you're getting to the witty comments. That's a good start already!" Star smiled with relief, as she walked in the school hallways.

"Are you sure you want to be friends with me, though? I'm the loser! It'll ruin your popularity!" She could tell that Danny didn't quite believe her wanting to be friends. After all, she could have been using him, like she did to Tucker once before.

Oh, the joy.

"I've thought about this; what good are 'friends' who don't look out for each other? The A-List certainly are good at ditching people; look what they did to Valerie! I'm getting close to losing the popularity anyway," Star sighed, and shook her head. It's because she was becoming more independent. Paulina always wanted her to do something, yet Star didn't exactly want to follow her orders, so she chose her own way.

It's obvious to say that she's hanging by one small thread, right now. Paulina was miffed with her.

"Well...you do seem to be completely honest with this... Okay, we'll see how things go. Just expect a lot of hate. And do not expect Dash or Kwan to go easy on you. They don't care if you're a girl or not; if you're a loser, that's a good enough reason for them to stuff you into a locker. Want to believe me fully? Ask Sam. She knows all about it," Danny spoke these words with an odd gentleness to them.

This had Star thinking. Did he seem almost upset that he couldn't do anything to stop it? Or was it perhaps that he could, yet he refused to? Star knew he could. Yet there seemed to be something else... Did he care for Sam in a different way?

It hit her then. Of course he cared for Sam differently. They were so close together that nothing could separate them. A pang of jealousy ran through her. And another realisation came towards her.

She wanted their friendship to be more. Already?

_'Come on, Star. This is ridiculous!'_ she scolded herself. Although, she couldn't help but feel attracted towards him. Surely everyone in the school could see he wasn't exactly weak or extremely skinny, like he used to be.

Surely everyone could see. She almost wanted to start a betting pool as to who would win in a true, honest fight; Dash or Danny?

Eh, but that's ridiculous, too. Star knew that Danny would refuse to fight back, despite everything Dash had done to him. He was just too sweet to fight anything.

Again, she was abruptly ripped from her thoughts as the school bell rang. Both she and Danny lightly jogged to their next lesson.

As they entered the room, their teacher gave them a harsh glare before continuing his lecture. At least they weren't exactly late, like how Danny used to be. Or maybe still was.

"You didn't answer my question, Star. In fact, you completely zoned out. Are you okay?"

"Huh? Wha- oh, yeah! I'm fine, don't worry. I was just thinking about the notes I had written down and whether I had forgotten anything. Don't worry about me!" she laughed lightly, before placing her set of notes on the desk, "What was your question?"

"I was asking whether you wanted to go to the Nasty Burger after school with Sam, Tucker and I. It'd be nice to hang out and get to know each other." He shrugged his shoulders.

"I'd love to! Would it be okay to also hang around at break and lunch?"

"It's cool with me. Just watch out for Sam, though. And Tucker hasn't exactly forgotten what you did."

"Yeah, aha, about that..."

"It's fine. Just apologise to him, make sure to say no if he asks you out again, and then you're cool."

"Thanks for the advice. It's not him that I'm worried about though; I'm sure Sam will bite my head off...literally!" To prove her point, she added a scowl to her face, imitating Sam, and then swiped her finger across her neck. Danny chuckled, showing that he understood what she meant.

"Ah, don't worry about her. She just cares for me a tad too much. Overprotective friend; as if an overprotective sister isn't enough!"

"I wouldn't know. I don't have any siblings. But thanks for having my back. I'm sure it'll be okay once we find something big in common."

"Do you like pink?" Danny asked. Star shook her head in reply, "Well then you're in luck. That's a good way to help get on her side. Not completely though."

Star giggled, and continued her work with Danny, drowning out the murmurs of the class surrounding her.

The first couple of lessons ended quickly, and Star started making her way towards Danny's table of friends.

Before she could reach it though, Paulina and Dash stepped in her way.

Star quietly sighed, knowing that this would happen eventually; she had mentally prepared herself for it.

"So, what's this about being friendly with Fenton? Kwan told me that you two were talking and laughing with each other!" Paulina screeched. Oh, fantastic. The whiny voice was on already.

"I'm being friendly with Danny," Paulina almost blanched at Star saying his name, "because he is my friend, of course. Why else would I be doing that?"

"_You're friends with him?!_" Dash exclaimed, which grabbed the attention of everybody else sitting at the tables surrounding them. This also gained that of the table directly behind Dash and Paulina.

"Nothing wrong with being friends," Star nonchalantly spoke.

"But he's a _loser!_"

"In your eyes. In my eyes, I really don't care." At this, Star stalked past the two that were frozen in place, and sat down at the table next to Danny. Strange, he'd been quiet throughout the whole thing.

Everybody else on the field was also silent. Nobody would move, too shocked to see Star standing up to members of the A-List.

"Wow, I'm surprised," Sam said, wide-eyed at the scene that had just happened before the, "I didn't expect that to happen. You've just literally thrown your popularity away!"

"Friends are more important to me, anyway. It'd be nice to have real friends who stick up for each other, than those who only want you for your money." Star glanced at Danny, wondering why he hadn't spoken yet.

"Good for you! It was nice to actually see someone talk back to the A-List. They're way too big for their boots! Although, I still don't see why you're doing all this." Sam was still skeptical, as she eyed Star for a moment before returning to her food, "Also, a warning here. Danny's lost his voice, so he won't be speaking for a while."

Danny turned to Star and smiled apologetically, although there was something else behind that smile. She couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was, but she knew that it was just a cover-up for the real reason.

Figuring out that they wouldn't tell her why yet, she also grabbed her own lunch and began eating.

It was then that the rest of the field began to move again. People slowly started talking in hushed murmurs, and quiet whispers, occasionally glancing at the table the four sat on. Not minding this, Star spoke to the other three - although only two people could answer properly - and enjoyed actually speaking about her mind for once.

It was all new to her, yet she knew that the bond with the others was only just beginning to get stronger.

The thought excited her greatly.

* * *

**I'm so happy that this is finally done. It's almost been a month, and for goodness sake I did not know what to write. I'm so sorry you had to wait so long, and I hope this makes it up to you guys somewhat. A longer chapter too! I hope it did its justice.**

**shadowmaster0304: the chapter was a tad short. This one's much longer. Thank you!**

**biginferno: thank you! I actually hadn't read your review until earlier on and wow, I almost hit it spot on. I hope this pleases you!**

**Beefdagetti: thank you! And goodness me, I can now watch movies that are rated 15 _legally._ That's pretty damn scary for me. _I'm getting old._**

**Snowleopard0: aha, thank you! I hope this story continues to be somewhat good.**

**acosta perez jose ramiro: thanks! I think this chapter does the same. Sharing thoughts is a tad difficult. I find first person to be much easier, but I didn't want to swap the POVs between everyone; it gets a tad confusing like that.**

**PFTones3482: yeah, I quite like Danny/Sam. They're my second favourite pairing. But I also like Tucker/Sam, since it's also quite a cute plus awkward couple too, dawww. And I'm glad that this isn't considered a bad story by some! I also understand how annoying it is when Star figures it out quickly, or how they accept they love each other and go out within just one chapter that is less than a thousands words. No, no, NO. There needs to be a build-up. Make the relationship realistic, guys! But of course, despite my rant, thank you for your kind words!**

**TheDayDreamer06: ah, I liked yours! Please continue it! Please, please, please, please, _please! _I enjoyed reading yours and it'd be nice to read another ongoing Danny/Star fanfic. Also, thank you!**

**Inviso-Al: I'm just going to build up the relationship, and then we'll see how it goes from there. I'm not exactly one for writing romance; I usually write somewhat dark and upsetting stories. Heh, I have a couple that I'd like to write which aren't the happiest of things. Ah well, they'll have to wait until I finish this one! Thank you, anyway!**

**Sleepy-Crobat: no, no, no! It's fine! This is a late chapter! We're both late (me more than you, ehe)! But I do understand your logic about getting ice powers. However, I also like the ideas of having a fire/ice core. It works nicely with ghosts. Two simple elements; you're one or the others. Despite that, I like your idea too. And I shall search up Star Gazing and see if there are any more stories or artwork of that pairing! _I'm going on a quest! _But yeah, thank you for your lovely (yet late, hah) review! Hope this chapter is also good.**

**Until next time, guys. I'll write it as soon as I can.**

**The summer holidays start next Tuesday, wooooooooooooooo!**


	6. Maths

**I am so sorry, oh my goodness. This is so late that it isn't even funny. I really would have updated later, but a lot went on with school, and when it ended I got caught up with a lot of other things. Plus, on Sunday, I left for a week to go on a course with people I had never met before.**

**I hated it, yet absolutely loved it at the same time. I want to go back, but then again, I don't.**

**This is too confusing! On with the next chapter!**

**Disclaimer: Butch Hartman owns Danny Phantom. Come on, why would I write _fan_fiction for it, otherwise?**

* * *

"You can not be this bad at Maths. You have to be joking."

Danny merely shrugged in reply, while grinning sheepishly. He had wanted Star to check through his Maths work (which he had actually managed to complete for once), to make sure their were not too many mistakes.

Judging by Star's verbal reaction, there were.

Brilliant.

"Maths work needed to be done; had to rush it," he rasped out quickly. His throat was still sore from over-excessive use of the Ghostly Wail in training with Frostbite. But of course, Star didn't know that, and only deemed it as a common cold.

Hey, the excuse worked for now. That's all he wanted.

"Yes, well, you could have at least thought about some of the answers. I don't even want to know what you waste your time doing instead! Goodness Danny, this is the first bit of completed homework in months from what I've seen. What takes up your time?" Danny flinched at her question, and silently hoped she hadn't seen.

Life wasn't fair. She raised an eyebrow at him, confused at his reaction.

"Perhaps we should skip the questions for now, and focus on correcting your answers?" Star suggested. Danny hastily nodded his head, glad to be away from that subject.

He still wasn't ready to tell her.

"Well, let's see... I checked through all twenty questions, and you only have questions one, four, six, seven and nine correct. So, let's begin with the most difficult one first, which would be question eighteen. Ready?"

Danny, once again, nodded while he twirled his desk chair around. The room spun around him, making him slightly dizzy.

"You're such a child, you know that, right?" Star giggled, holding her hand to her mouth, "You still need to finish this though."

Danny groaned, and stopped twirling his chair around. He stood up, and then sat down on his bed next to Star.

She pointed to the worksheet and began explaining how to solve the problem.

He tried to focus, he really did, but he just couldn't help but let his wander. Where to? Well, of course, to Star.

He admired Star. She was incredibly intelligent, and stubborn too. Nowhere near as stubborn as Sam, but that was just Sam. Her turquoise eyes seemed to sparkle, especially when she laughed.

Her laugh. It was adorable. He'd never heard a more beautiful sound before. It was light and warm-hearted.

Her blonde hair too; he wanted to run his hands through it. Perhaps it sounded like a creepy thing to do, but he didn't care. He just liked being near her. It made him happy.

But he didn't know exactly what he felt towards her.

Sure, he could call it love. But heck, it was far too early for that. They'd only became friends at least a month ago! If it was love, it was for a friend.

Nothing more.

_Right._

Danny sighed mentally, and tried to focus back on to what Star was saying, and not Star herself. It was bloody difficult though.

"Did you get all of that, Danny?" Star's voice interrupted his train of thought. He only blinked in reply.

Star sighed, and said, "I'm guessing no. How about I just give you all of the working out and answers? I need to go home soon, anyway. Would that be okay with you?"

He almost shook his head in reply, but thought better of it and slowly nodded. At this, Star stood up, stretched and sat down at his desk. She took out her homework and another spare piece of paper, picked up a pen and copied everything down.

Once done, she sighed again, and handed Danny the spare sheet.

"Here you go. Try not to lose it. I know you don't mean to do any of this Danny, I really do. Not doing your work, your bad grades, running away from your friends and I all of a sudden - although I think Sam and Tucker know what's going on and why - and having lost your voice for over a week; I believe it's all connected in some way. It's your secret though, and I won't intrude, I just hope you'll trust me soon enough to help me understand more than I do already." She smiled sadly, then muttered, "It's wishful thinking. Take your time, though. And make sure you do your homework too, slacker!"

As she was about to turn to leave, Danny suddenly stood up, and hugged her. He, with some difficulty, replied with a meaningful, "Thank you."

Star brought her arms up and hugged him back.

_'This is nice,'_ she thought, although she responded with an equally meaningful, "You're welcome."

They stood like that, hugging each other, for a while, before breaking it apart. Looking closely, Danny could see the light blush on Star's face, and she could on his. Star coughed awkwardly, and muttered a quick, "Bye!" before rushing out of his room, out of his house, and down the street to her house.

She ran into her room, without uttering a word to her poor stunned mother down the hallway, and sank to the floor with her back to the door. She grabbed a small pillow from the bottom of her bed nearby, and cuddled it to her chest.

_'Stupid feelings.'_

* * *

Danny grunted as Sam punched him playfully on the arm.

"Come on, Danny! I need to hear what your voice is like, to know whether your sore throat will be healed soon. Now, answer my previous question. How does your throat feel?"

Danny rolled his eyes, then replied with a reluctant, "Better."

Sam hummed, furrowed her eyebrows.

_'Uh oh,'_ Danny thought, _'She has that thoughtful look on her face...'_ A full minute went by before Sam spoke again.

"You're happier too for some reason. Come on now, this'll be good practise for your voice! What happened to make you this happy?"

"Nothing!" Danny almost yelled a little too quickly. He winced as his throat stung, and slowly rubbed at his neck in hopes of soothing it.

Sam laughed, "Now that's rubbish, and you and I both know that. Was it Star?"

Danny's eyes widened considerably, and he had to force himself to look away from Sam's probing amethyst eyes, as a pink blush coloured his face.

Sam noticed this immediately.

"It is! Oh, Danny! What did you _do?_" Great, now she was accusing him of making a mistake.

...That hug was hardly a mistake.

Yet why was he so flustered over _a hug?!_

Downing a cup of water, he answered, "Just a hug."

Goodness, his throat _burned._

"Just a hug? Just a hug. Just a hug! Danny, what did the hug mean to you?" Now, he had to think about that. What did the hug mean to him? After a good while, he finally gave his reply.

"A lot." Sam sighed, and placed her hand on her forehead. Of course. Trust Danny to get a crush on Star. Sam had to agree, Star was pretty in a sense (Tucker agreed but that's just Tucker). Heck, she was probably more beautiful than Paulina. She didn't use too much make-up, and she had a slim body with curves in the right places.

Sam sighed again, in defeat, and looked at Danny. He was staring intently at his hands that were folded in his lap, refusing to see Sam's reaction.

"You know, Tucker and I made a bet." Now that made Danny look up.

"A bet?"

"Yes, a bet. Tucker had bet that you and Star would get together before school broke up for the holiday. I made a bet that you and Star wouldn't get together."

"Why?" Simple questions from such a simple guy. Sam almost laughed at her own joke.

"At first, I didn't see it; Tucker was doing it just for a laugh. I think he might win the bet, though."

At this, Danny's eyes widened in surprise, gratitude clear in his eyes.

After all, Sam didn't like anyone really getting close to her two best friends, and she'd break someone's nose if they messed with the three of them.

But this was Danny's choice, and there was nothing she could do about it.

Besides, she did like Star too. Only in a friendly way, of course. She looked at Danny again, and gave him a thumbs-up.

She'd basically given him permission to do what he wanted.

Ah well.

"If she does anything to you though, I won't hesitate to harm her!" Sam warned.

"Of course, Sam. Wouldn't have it any other way."

* * *

**I am still so _sorry _that this was _so late._ I'll try to update soon! I really will! But my holiday is a bit jam-packed. You're also lucky that I wrote this out and uploaded this in one day. I arrived back from the course yesterday, and _yeesh _am I _tired?_**

**I feel awful. But oh well.**

**Onto the reviews!**

**biginferno: thank you! I agree with you; Star is definitely a better person with Danny.**

**acosta perez jose ramiro: thank you! I hope this chapter is also a well written one. The last bit was rushed though... It might not make much sense...**

**Inviso-Al: actually, ghost puberty sounds like a funny idea. Aha, I think I might include that. Perhaps Vlad missed it since he became half-ghost at a much later age... Gah! Too many ideas! Thank you, anyway.**

**Guest: uhhh... Bought her way in? Valid question, valid reason.**

**The Blood On My Knife: I updated soon *shifty eyes* No, but really, I should update sooner. Thank you!**

**Until next time, my dear readers. I will honestly try incredibly hard to get the next chapter up. I finished the plot and know what I want to write now. I just have to not wander _away _from that path.**

**Happy reading!**


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